KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Two Fort Hood Soldiers were awarded the Army’s oldest medal this week for their actions in Afghanistan. Sgt. Shane Savage and Pfc. Adam Davis, of the 584th Mobility Augmentation Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, were on a major route in southern Afghanistan when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device Friday.
Despite the size of the blast, Savage and Davis sustained relatively minor injuries due to the actions of their fellow Soldiers and their mine-resistant vehicle’s robust design. Brig. Gen. Frederick Hodges, the U.S. Deputy Commander of Operations for Regional Command South, presented the medals at the hospital on Kandahar Airfield from before they were flown to Germany for further treatment. A third Soldier in the vehicle, Spc. Keran Stanislaus, was also injured in the blast, but was able to return to duty after suffering only several slight cuts.
The Purple Heart, the Army’s oldest decoration, was created by George Washington in 1782 at Newburgh, New York during the Revolutionary War. As the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, Washington wanted to create an award to recognize extraordinary soldiers going above the call of duty.
Savage, currently on his fifth deployment, also received a Purple Heart in Iraq. He deployed twice to Iraq with the Marines and twice with the Army after switching services in 2006. “He is the type of non commissioned officer that younger soldiers look up to for guidance and courage when in tough situations,” said Hodges. Savage is married to Hilary Savage and they have two children.
Davis, only twenty-four years old, is from North Richland Hills, Texas, and joined the Army in September, 2008. He is married to Christine Davis and together they have four children. Davis is a talented young Soldier, able to remain calm in difficult situations. At home he stresses family values, spending as much of his valuable time with his family as the military allows.
The 584th MAC is part of the largest route clearance battalion in southern Afghanistan, Task Force LUMERJACK. The Battalion consists of 18 route clearance platoons spread throughout Kandahar, Helmand, and Zabul Provinces. Combined, these platoons have completed over 1,800 missions across 130,000 miles of Afghanistan’s major roadways, searching for the deadliest threat in the theater, the IED. Lt. Col. Peter J. Andrysiak, Battalion Commander of Task Force LUMERJACK, recognizes the outstanding effort of his soldiers out on the front lines every day. “These young heroic Soldiers are out on a daily basis making the roadways safer for not only coalition forces, but the Afghani people,” he commented. “They are among the bravest Soldiers on the battlefield today, performing the most dangerous missions as they take to the roads daily and patrol into some of the most contentious areas of southern Afghanistan to find and neutralize the biggest killer on the battlefield – the improvised explosive device.”
Task Force LUMBERJACK still has another four months to go in Afghanistan and their soldiers will continue to selflessly put themselves in harm’s way day after day. Their mission of freedom of movement along major roadways is critical to the success of the coalition’s mission.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.06.2010 01:47 |
| Story ID: | 55768 |
| Location: | KANDAHAR, AF |
| Web Views: | 296 |
| Downloads: | 10 |
This work, Fort Hood Soldiers Awarded The Purple Heart, by 2LT Randy Wintermantel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
